Russia's Invasion of Ukraine (Official Thread)

[88m3]

Major Damage At Russian Airbase In Crimea After Ukrainian Attack

Reports of destruction at the airbase, which was also home to an S-400/S-300 air defense system, are supported by satellite imagery.

www.twz.com

Russian Tu-22M3 Backfire Shot Down With S-200 Missile: Ukraine’s Spy Chief

Kyiv claims that the swing-wing bomber was brought down nearly 200 miles from the Ukrainian border by a modified S-200 air defense system.

www.twz.com

 

[88m3]

 

[ADevilYouKhow]

Ukrainian 'Grandpa' leads over-60s unit fighting Russian forces for free — Reuters

Oleksandr Taran's mobile artillery unit isn't officially part of Ukraine's military, but that hasn't stopped his men from destroying Russian targets on their own dime.

apple.news

US buys 81 Soviet-era combat aircraft from Russia's ally costing on average less than $20,000 each, report says

The US bought 81 Soviet-era combat aircraft from Kazakhstan for $1.5m.

www.businessinsider.com

 

[GnauzBookOfRhymes]

I wonder how the strategy may change this year. This last bill took a while to go through Congress but my sense is that Russians know that if Biden wins, subsequent bills will probably be easier - especially if Dems gain seats in the House (which I believe is more likely).

 

[Formerly Black Trash]

What does this mean going forward?

 

[NZA]

What does this mean going forward?

they plan to not cooperate or honor any decisions from ICC

 

[88m3]

2 Ukrainian service members fatally stabbed in Germany; Russian detained - UPI.com

Two Ukrainian service members in Germany for rehabilitation were stabbed to death over the weekend, according to Kyiv's foreign ministry and authorities who said a Russian national was in police custody.

www.upi.com

smh

 

[88m3]

they plan to not cooperate or honor any decisions from ICC

Well neither is a member so...

 

[Good Guy Guevara]

I wonder how the strategy may change this year. This last bill took a while to go through Congress but my sense is that Russians know that if Biden wins, subsequent bills will probably be easier - especially if Dems gain seats in the House (which I believe is more likely).

Well part of the $61 billion bill that just passed is the requirement for the Biden administration to present a “winning” strategy for Ukraine within the next 45 days. So we’ll see sometime in the coming months what the strategy is moving forward but my assumption is its more of creating an exit plan and formulating a long term funding especially if Trump wins.

 

[GnauzBookOfRhymes]

Well part of the $61 billion bill that just passed is the requirement for the Biden administration to present a “winning” strategy for Ukraine within the next 45 days. So we’ll see sometime in the coming months what the strategy is moving forward but my assumption is its more of creating an exit plan and formulating a long term funding especially if Trump wins.

Those are just words designed to give cover to some of the more reluctant members of Congress.

The one thing that cannot be denied, whether anyone agrees with the costs or overall strategy etc, is that ultimately even if the war is beneficial to Putin from a political standpoint, a lot of Russians are dying and their military is being degraded.

 

[NZA]

I wonder how the strategy may change this year. This last bill took a while to go through Congress but my sense is that Russians know that if Biden wins, subsequent bills will probably be easier - especially if Dems gain seats in the House (which I believe is more likely).

i dont think the russians care. the ukrainian manpower shortage and the fact that the war is still just attritional are really all that matter right now.

 

[Good Guy Guevara]

Those are just words designed to give cover to some of the more reluctant members of Congress.

The one thing that cannot be denied, whether anyone agrees with the costs or overall strategy etc, is that ultimately even if the war is beneficial to Putin from a political standpoint, a lot of Russians are dying and their military is being degraded.

Not sure what you mean by the war being politically beneficial for Putin when the war has always been about Russia’s national security. Doesn’t matter if Putin or some other leader is in power, they just weren’t going to allow Ukraine in NATO. There is no denying that no matter what, it’s in the US best interest to weaken a geopolitical rival but it’s not sustainable to keep this going long term. We do not have the current production rate to mass produce the weapons Ukraine needs in a cost effective way and most importantly Ukraine doesn’t have the manpower to keep this going either.

Can’t say Russia is being militarily degraded either. Have they lost a lot of military personnel and equipment, absolutely but they are able to replace those loses. They’ve had only one mobilization and that was back in the fall of 2022. They’re recruiting 30,000 volunteers monthly now for the army. They are able to replace their equipment loses because they have a large industrial base and people with the necessary skill set to do it. The German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius just said in an interview last week that Russia is now producing more weapons than what’s needed for the war in Ukraine. The head of US European Command also told Congress the Russian army is now 15% larger in comparison to when the war started. If anything, we’ve taught them how to fight a modern conventional war.

 

[GnauzBookOfRhymes]

Not sure what you mean by the war being politically beneficial for Putin when the war has always been about Russia’s national security. Doesn’t matter if Putin or some other leader is in power, they just weren’t going to allow Ukraine in NATO. There is no denying that no matter what, it’s in the US best interest to weaken a geopolitical rival but it’s not sustainable to keep this going long term. We do not have the current production rate to mass produce the weapons Ukraine needs in a cost effective way and most importantly Ukraine doesn’t have the manpower to keep this going either.

Can’t say Russia is being militarily degraded either. Have they lost a lot of military personnel and equipment, absolutely but they are able to replace those loses. They’ve had only one mobilization and that was back in the fall of 2022. They’re recruiting 30,000 volunteers monthly now for the army. They are able to replace their equipment loses because they have a large industrial base and people with the necessary skill set to do it. The German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius just said in an interview last week that Russia is now producing more weapons than what’s needed for the war in Ukraine. The head of US European Command also told Congress the Russian army is now 15% larger in comparison to when the war started. If anything, we’ve taught them how to fight a modern conventional war.

So this bill passing was a good thing for Russia?

 

[NZA]

Russian Mercenaries Hunt the African Warlord America Couldn't Catch

Wagner’s hunt for Joseph Kony shows the Kremlin’s reach is expanding across Africa, as Washington’s strategy on the continent unravels.

www.rollingstone.com

i wonder if america will pay the bounty if wagner gets kony?

 

[Good Guy Guevara]

So this bill passing was a good thing for Russia?

The only good thing from the bill for Russia is that it didn't include +100,000 freshly printed and trained soldiers for Ukraine to use at their will.

You will still have Russians dying but other than that the bill just delays the inevitable.